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Opinion

Without neutrality, Bible must not be taught 

Florian Martin
Opinion Columnist

Teaching about the content and impact of the Bible in public schools is not wrong in itself ? it is always better to teach about something than ignore it. However, state Rep. Warren Chisum's proposition to require all public schools in Texas to offer Bible courses has to be treated with caution. 

Chisum said that the Bible is "a document that has historical value. It's the most widely distributed book in the world." 

This is true ? the Bible and Christianity have played an essential role in building this country, and many Americans' standards and morals are based on the Christian holy book. After all, the first people to settle in America were escaping from religious persecution and strict practicioners of their religion. 

The Bible is omnipresent in our lives; we come across it when we celebrate Christmas and Easter, despite the changing meaning of these holidays. Christmas is now celebrated by many with various, or in some cases no beliefs, and is more about family gathering, Santa Claus and presents than the birth of Jesus Christ. For many, Easter is more about the Easter Bunny and Easter egg hunts than the resurrection of Jesus. 

Despite this, the role of Christianity and its book cannot be denied in the celebration of these holidays. 

While about one quarter of Americans are not Christian, many observe these holidays, if only by not going to work on those days.

European history can't be studied without mentioning the role of the Bible. Many wars were fought about religion: between Catholics and Protestants in North Ireland, Christians and Muslims during the Crusades or Spanish Christians and polytheistic Indians in South America. Kings and queens were, and in some countries still are, at the same time heads of the Church and "rulers by the grace of God." And in Europe, most holidays have a Christian background. 

Consequently, the role of the Bible and Christianity in world history cannot be ignored. In secular European countries such as Germany and England, religious studies are still part of the curriculum of public schools and are focused on the Bible and Christianity. In those countries, however, this may be more acceptable considering their strong foundation of Christianity throughout past millenniums.

The United States, while founded by members of the Christian religion, is proud of its function as a nation of diversity and immigrants from different cultures of the world. While it should not ignore the significance of the Bible in its history, it also cannot ignore the existence of other religions, such as Judaism and Islam.

The 1963 Supreme Court decision Abington Township School District v. Schempp banned prayer from public schools to ensure the separation of state and church. 

Chisum and other proponents of Bible courses in public schools argue that teachers of such courses would teach from a neutral, non-religious standpoint. 

This sounds good in theory, but one wonders if this can be applied in practice, especially in a highly evangelical state like Texas. It is likely that some teachers would be tempted to use such a course to convey their beliefs to students instead of just giving them an analytical overview of the stories of the Bible and their meanings.

If the Bible is to be taught in schools, it should not get its own course, but rather be part of a broader religious studies class that examines all of the world's religions and the history connected to them. In that context, it should also be a requirement to teach about the many events in history that were caused by religion, such as religious wars, the Spanish Inquisition or Christian evangelizations in Africa and other places.

Lessons relating to the Bible and the history associated with it are not wrong, but given the high missionary zeal of many Christian people in the United States, it is questionable if this can be done in a completely neutral way. As long as neutrality cannot be guaranteed, Bible courses should not be offered.

Martin, a communication senior, 
can be reached via dccampus@mail.uh.edu